Info Contributor
- Seymour (Sy) Gaynes (formerly
Ginsburg) - Navigator
I was the Navigator on the original crew (Pilot was David G. Bellemere) who flew TEPEE TIME GAL
in the 743rd Sq / 455th Group out of Cerignola. The C. O. (David Thayer) promised us the first
plane brought over by a replacement crew and TEPEE TIME GAL was that plane. It had that beautiful picture of an Indian girl already painted
on it but it had the "gawd awful" name WATTACROK, which may have seemed great to that replacement crew, but we soon blacked
that out and re-named it. Our E. M. had become close friends with a squadron
photographer (who was also an artist) and they came up with TEPEE TIME GAL. We each got our name painted next to our position. On the right
side near the nose, there is a Jewish Star of David and my nick name,
"SAMMY".